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Mussina, Yankees aim to end skid, face Red Sox

Jul 5, 2008 - 1:19 PM BOSTON (52-37) at NY YANKEES (45-42), 3:55 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees hoped to avoid their third straight loss to the Boston Red Sox when the teams continue a four-game set Saturday.

New York suffered a 6-4 loss to Boston on Friday, which came on the heels of a 7-0 blanking in the series opener.

The Yankees, who have lost five of six, trail first-place Tampa Bay by a season-high nine games and also are games behind Boston.

Another loss to the Red Sox in this four-game set would leave New York without a series win since it swept lowly San Diego from June 17-19 - a span of five series.

Mike Mussina (10-6, 3.87 ERA), whose 10 wins are tied for third most in the AL behind Joe Saunders (12) and Cliff Lee (11), looks to halt a two-game losing streak of his own. The 18-year veteran gave up just two runs and five hits in six innings in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Texas Rangers on Monday.

The righthander is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA in two outings vs. Boston in 2008. He is also 0-3 in his last four starts against the Red Sox.

Boston, which had dropped five straight before its two wins vs. the Yankees, counters with rookie Justin Masterson (4-2, 3.75).

The 23-year-old righthander, who has gone at least six innings in seven of his eight starts, took a loss after walking a season-high five in six innings of a 5-4 setback at Tampa Bay on Monday.

The Red Sox have won three straight at Yankee Stadium but haven't won four in a row here in a single season since 1986.